With the stop bar down, we were taken in a 4x4 along the runway at Stansted Airport.  The runway was covered in black rubber which is regularly cleared with specialist machinery.  This was an amazing experience a plane had landed in front of us and there were planes in the distance approaching the runway.  We didn’t spot any FOD (foreign objects or debris) on our check.

Amongst the Ryanair planes we saw the new BAA cargo planes Boeing 747-8F.  With a 30% reduction in noise and 16% lower emissions than the previous aircraft, these planes appear to have opened up export opportunities.  So, one of the most energy efficient aircraft in the world is at Stansted airport.  Stansted Airport is a forward thinking airport that invests in infrastructure for the here and now as well as the future.  It is “ready for more traffic”.  We also saw preparations for the paralympians leaving the UK, on the day after the closing ceremony.     

The checks undertaken for staff are as vigilant as those for passengers and we were provided with fluorescent jackets .

The airport also caters for private planes and helicopters, and this appears to be a growing area.  The airport is very well equipped to house and take great care of private aircraft.

With a c. 20% reduction in passengers over the last 5 years (from what I calculated), the subject of Air Passenger Duty appears to be a hot potato.  Is it affecting the use of the airport?  The MD, Nick Barton would say “yes”.  Of course today, Nick Barton was exceptionally busy presumably concentrating on the sale of the airport that is currently owned by BAA.  We were fortunate to be accompanied by Marcella M”Rabety and were later joined by Chris Wiggan.